Staples to host Saturday school for budding entrepreneurs

A major UK retailer is hosting Saturday classes across the country to help people start up their own businesses.

A major UK retailer is hosting Saturday classes across the country to help people start up their own businesses.

Staples will host the weekly classes in its 138 stores on Saturday mornings as part of the StartUp Britain campaign to create a 500,000-strong army of entrepreneurs to help get the economy moving.

Start Up Saturday will run for 12 weeks, covering everything from discovering a business idea through to finance and marketing on a shoestring.

Staples Managing Director Andrew Gabriel said: “The StartUp Britain Campaign has gathered momentum and really inspired people to think about launching their own venture. But we want to help them do more than think about it and believe StartUp Saturday can play a key role in turning great ideas into real businesses.

“Hopefully by holding the sessions in our stores we will break down the barriers to classroom learning and people of all ages will feel comfortable in signing up.”

Start up Saturday, which is being run by the small business support company Enterprise Nation and training providers CragRats, will be launched in seven stores on May 21, before being rolled out across the country from June.

Each session will be from 9.30am to 10.30am and students will be given a comprehensive workbook, which will include advice, case studies, useful links and tips. Individual classes cost just £10 and the full 12-week course is £100.

Emma Jones [pictured], of Enterprise Nation and one of the founders of StartUp Britain, said: “There’s no time like the present to start a business. We know there’s a wealth of talent out there and that all people need is a kick start, which is what this initiative is all about. The course will be fun and hopefully lead to financial reward and a flexible working life.”

For more information, contact Emma Jones on 01743 272555/ 0789 9871698 or visit the StartUp Saturday website at http://www.startupsaturday.co.uk and on Twitter @SUpSaturday